A Review of Darwin Forest & The Peak District with Tweens

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This Easter, we spent the most glorious long weekend in the Peak District with our three children (aged 8, 10 and 12). Our base for our trip was Darwin Forest, a countryside retreat close to Bakewell and Matlock Bath. We have stayed at Darwin Forest in the past (read about our cosy stay during a snow storm last winter here) and this time I was pleased that the weather was more on our side so we could get out and explore more of what the Peak District has to offer families with tweens. We stayed in a Skyline View Lodge from Friday-Monday. There are lots of different types of lodges available at Darwin Forest (many are dog-friendly too) and at time of publishing, short breaks are available from £365 (check out their late deals here).

Darwin Forest - What is there to do for families with tweens? 

Darwin Forest is very similar to a Center Parcs type break. There are lodges hidden away in the forest and plenty of activities to keep everyone entertained. Everything is finished to a very high standard and there are lots of places to escape and enjoy the natural surroundings and a bit of peace and quiet too. There are lots of facilities for all ages but as we're a family with tweens, I'm going to focus on what there is to do on-site with this age group. 

Freedom 

Our lodge location was very secluded and surrounded by woodland. Like many of the lodges here, we were in a cul-de-sac so traffic was virtually non-existent. H, H and J absolutely loved the freedom of being able to run around the woods and create their own games. It reminded me of the childhood we all aspire to give our children these days. 

Woodland Walks, Trim Trails and Orienteering

The woodland walks at Darwin Forest are fantastic. There's something new to discover around every corner. There are multiple trails to follow, orienteering to try and you're provided with various walking routes to try in your lodge. There's something for all abilities. At reception, you'll find huge folders of even more walks around the Peak District and the staff are super helpful with providing ideas and advice. If you're a family who loves walking and the great outdoors, you'll absolutely love it here and I can't think of a better holiday base. 

During our family walks, we discovered all sorts hidden in the woodland. From climbing walls to stepping stones, fairy door sculptures, woodland games, monkey bars, streams and wildlife.... every corner we turned there was something new and this really kept H and J involved and they were jumping up and down with excitement when they found something new. 

Mini Golf

Mini golf is often a fantastic game to play with tweens and at Darwin Forest, there's a mini golf and tennis course on-site (small additional charge), however, I know from experience that mini golf never ends well with my three and leads to multiple meltdowns and tantrums (please tell me I'm not the only one) so we avoided on this occasion as were trying to have a peaceful break. If your family aren't as highly strung as my family are, the course is worth checking out. 

Forrester's Bar & Beer Garden 

Darwin Forest has it's own welcoming pub and restaurant on-site. We enjoyed a lovely meal here last year and I'd recommend pre-booking a table online before your visit to avoid disappointment. As the weather was fairly pleasant during our stay, Steve and I were able to enjoy a couple of drinks in the pub's beer garden which overlooks a lovely enclosed play area. Jack and Heidi loved this and it was a great way for us to relax after our family swim. 

Swimming

The pool at Darwin Forest is free for guests to use. At 1.25m in depth, it is perfect for my children who can swim and are all over 1.3m tall. I am not the biggest fan of swimming but the kids enjoy it and Darwin Forest makes it as nice as possible with clean, modern changing rooms, helpful staff and a little shop selling swim essentials. There's also a small spa available for less than £4 if you fancy it. We've made use of the swimming facilities at Darwin Forest on multiple occasions now and it's never been overly busy. I love that it's open until 9pm too which is ideal if you've been out exploring during the day and fancy a quick swim before dinner. 

WiFi

My kids are all or nothing when it comes to their devices. They are absolutely fine to leave their devices at home when we're on holiday but equally, love curling up and playing Minecraft together. What frustrates them is when we say they can take their devices and then find out the signal isn't great and their games keep on glitching. I am happy to report that this isn't the case at Darwin Forest. I'm not a technical person, but each lodge seems to have its own hub to use (we had to log into our specific lodge WiFi) and it's FREE. There are notices saying that it's for 'normal' use only and streaming etc... will slow the service down but we managed to connect 5 devices and use as we would at home with no issues at all. I would say that the WiFi at Darwin Forest is the best WiFi I've ever used on holiday. There is no phone signal at Darwin Forest so the WiFi was a bit of a lifesaver for us grown-ups too.

Hot Tub 

Many of the lodges at Darwin Forest come with their own private hot tub and I would always opt for one of these. H, H and J loved chilling out in the hot tub for 15 minutes each night and it was definitely a holiday highlight for them. I think they'd kill me if I booked another break here and didn't choose a lodge with a hot tub. 

Activity Den 

The Activity Den at Darwin Forest is just next to the pub and ideal for when the weather's not so great or as a place to send older (responsible) kids while you enjoy a drink. It's open until 10pm at night and free to visit. Downstairs is like a mini arcade with some pretty decent arcade games and upstairs is a pool room filled with pool tables. Prices are super reasonable (£1 for a game of pool) and we enjoyed a family game of pool here one evening and the kids spent all of their change in the arcade. 

Activities 

Darwin Forest always feels super peaceful to me and it's easy to forget that there is actually a lot going on and there's the option to book lots of different activities if you wish. I think one of the things I most like about Darwin Forest is that you can make your break as peaceful or active as you wish and you can have a lovely time if you spend no money on-site or if you book lots of activities. It really is a holiday for all. We used Darwin Forest as a base and were out exploring the area every day but if we'd wanted a more relaxing break, I'm sure we'd have booked an activity or two. Last year the kids really enjoyed water walkers and archery. Check out the full list of activities available here. I like that you can spread the cost and pre-book before you go. 

Darwin Forest - Meadows Skyline View Lodge review 

Our Skyline View lodge was located in a quiet cul-de-sac known as 'the Meadows'. There are only 3 lodges here and there is plenty of space between lodges so it feels nice and private. This area of the park is the furthest away from the main centre the pub/activities/reception, but it's only a 10-minute stroll through the woods. I would recommend this location if you're looking for peace and quiet, a lodge which isn't overlooked and offers plenty of space for kids to run around outside. As there are three lodges here, it would be an ideal area for a group booking of three families too. 

Our lodge was a real home from home (in fact it was better than a home from home) and offered more than enough space for the 5 of us. With three large bedrooms, two bathrooms and plenty of outdoor space. There are lots of little touches which we really appreciated including flat screen TVs in all bedrooms, USB sockets by the beds (the dream), a coffee machine with enough pods to see us through our break, amazing WiFi, walk-in wardrobes in all of our bedrooms, towels and toiletries provided, our own private hot tub and bathrobes for Steve and I and luxurious, well-equipped bathrooms and kitchen with everything we needed and more. This particular lodge is available from £593 and sleeps up to 6. 

Each lodge comes with its own board game which you can swap for another at any point during your stay at receptions which is a lovely touch. If anyone knows how to play Snakes and Ladders without at least one child storming off in a huff though, please let me know. 

There's a little welcome kit in your lodge with enough dishwasher tablets and cleaning materials to see you through which is a nice touch but if you are caught short, the shop on site is fantastic and even sells individual washing capsules for 40p. You can also hire DVDs for £3 from the shop and pick up some local treats as well as the essentials.

Parenting tweens is tough (especially when you have multiple) so I really appreciated that everyone had their own space to do their own thing and being able to relax in the hot tub at night when they were all tucked up in their rooms watching TV was blissful. We were lucky enough to have really clear nights and sitting in a hot tub with a glass of champagne under the stars is every bit as lovely as it sounds and ensured that Steve and I had a proper break and felt relaxed too. 

Darwin Forest - Where to visit in the area with tweens 

There is so much to do in the Peak District. Every time we visit I leave with more places to visit and reasons to return (the Heights of Abraham are next on my list). During our Easter break, we visited some fantastic places with our tweens and Darwin Forest really is an excellent base for exploring the area. Also, can I just say, driving around the Peak District is an activity in itself - the views are stunning. 

Alton Towers 

Alton Towers is around a 45-minute drive from Darwin Forest. We left after breakfast and spent a full day of fun here. You can buy discounted tickets at the Darwin Forest reception (we used our Merlin Annual Passes). Our day at Alton Towers was one of our favourite days from the Easter holidays. There are lots of family rides for families with tweens to enjoy and it's the kind of place you leave feeling happy but exhausted. I've put together some Instagram story highlights with my top tips for visiting Alton Towers with tweens - you can check them out here. If you're looking for lodges a little closer to Alton Towers,  Darwin Forest's sister site (Sandybrook) is just a 20 minute drive away from the theme park. Ideal if you're an annual pass holder as we are and looking for a luxurious self-catering base for the weekend. 

The Villages of Buxton and Bakewell 

There are so many pretty villages to choose from in the Peak District. We decided to visit Buxton and Bakewell which are both a short drive from Darwin Forest. Buxton is a spa town with gorgeous architecture and ornamental gardens - such a lovely place to walk around. We enjoyed an afternoon pottering about here after stocking up at the town's Aldi. I left my phone in the car so no photos. Oops! 

The village of Bakewell is somewhere we have wanted to visit in FOREVER. A Cherry Bakewell is Jack's favourite treat and he was dying to try the original. We visited Bakewell on a Monday and it was bustling. There was a cattle auction going on, a busy market in the town and live music being played. Bakewell is lovely to walk around and full of independent shops (I particularly liked the cheese and wine shop) but we were all about the Cherry Bakewell so paid a visit to The Old Original Bakewell Pudding shop. 

Bakewell is actually more famous for Bakewell Pudding than Bakewell Tart so we decided to try them both with their sharing deal - one large pudding and one large tart served with custard and cream for £18.50. Unfortunately, service here wasn't the best and we were almost on the verge of leaving as they took so long to take our order. I'm glad we stayed though as the Bakewell Pudding was a taste sensation. Steve and I loved it and it was perfect with a generous helping of custard. The kids preferred the tart but this was a little sweet for me. Again, it took a while to pay out bill so I don't think I'd recommend visiting this restaurant for a bite to eat. I'd definitely recommend popping into the shop downstairs and picking up a few puddings and treats to take back to your lodge though. They really are outstanding. 

Bolsover Castle 

We've visited Bolsover Castle a couple of times as it's a convenient stop off/ service station alternative near the M1. It's just a short drive from Darwin Forest so we couldn't resist putting our English Heritage membership to good use and popping by. Bolsover is one of my favourite English Heritage properties. There is loads of space to run around, a decent cafe, a castle-themed play park (which is rare for English Heritage properties) and a fantastic programme of events throughout the year (including jousting tournaments). The views from the castle of the surrounding countryside are more than worth the trip and I like that you can walk the castle walls here too. 

Local Restaurants and Takeaways 

The restaurant on-site at Darwin Forest offers its own takeaway service which we made use of last year (and enjoyed) but I also like that Darwin Forest supports local restaurants and businesses too. On arrival, you'll be provided with a welcome booklet full of local takeaways who deliver to your lodge and restaurants to try. There are some discount vouchers too. We popped into The Shalimar on our way home from Alton Towers which was recommended to us in our welcome pack. They deliver direct to your lodge but we decided to just pick up on our way home. The staff here were so lovely and spent time recommending local places to visit as we waited for our food. Our takeaway meal was just over £30 for the 5 of us too which was really good value. After a busy day, it was lovely to chill out in our lodge with a curry in front of the TV. 

We absolutely adore Darwin Forest. The reason it stands out for us is that everything is finished to a very high standard so it feels like a treat, there are lots of little touches including a voucher for a pint of fresh milk on arrival and discount vouchers for local attractions and it's a place which offers us the perfect balance of freedom for the kids, activities to keep us entertained, the opportunity to relax and unwind plus it's a fantastic base for exploring the Peak District. It's also somewhere which is suitable for all ages and not just tweens. Check out the following reviews below: 

• A multi-generational break at Darwin Forest with under 8s
• Visiting Darwin Forest with a 5 & 7 year old
• A mini break at Darwin Forest with a 4 and 9 year old
• Visiting Darwin Forest with under 5s
• Staying at Darwin Forest with children of multiple ages

Top Tips for Visiting Darwin Forest 

• Pre-book activities and restaurant reservations online prior to your stay. You'll be sent an online link a few weeks before your trip. 
• We popped into Aldi in Buxton to stock up on food shopping but I'd recommend ordering online to be delivered to your lodge on your first evening. I was jealous of our neighbour who did this. They used Asda. 
• Bring £1 coins for the swimming lockers and arcade games/pool tables. 
• If your children can't swim, don't forget swimming aids as the pool is fairly deep (1.25m) 
• Definitely make time to explore the woodland trails.
• Bring two sets of swimwear - one for the pool and one for the hot tub.
• If you're going to cook a meal at your lodge, don't forget to pack salt and pepper (the shop sells it if you do forget but it seems like a bit of a waste buying new if you have some at home). 
• Bring binoculars and bird books - we couldn't believe the variety of wildlife on our doorstep. 
• Be prepared for no phone signal (but there is very decent WiFi which is free). 
• Darwin Forest takes under 3 hours to get to from Newcastle via car so if you'd like to save money, I'd advise booking a term-time weekend break and heading there straight from school on a Friday. 
• Visit the neighbouring village of Bakewell and buy a Bakewell pudding to enjoy back in your lodge.

Find out more about Darwin Forest and book online here. 

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